Music Marathon boasts 1,200 acts with headliners Phoenix

Relaxnews
Tuesday 19 October 2010 00:00 BST
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The 30th CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival kicks off Tuesday at clubs and venues throughout New York's Greenwich Village and across town, hosted by the College Music Journal trade paper, October 19-23.

More than 120,000 fans attend 1,200 performances from more than 30 countries in 75 venues across the city. Live music showcases of emerging talent and indie favorites perform, some unsigned and seeking representation.

A full schedule of films and panels happens by day, attracting college-radio disc jockeys, music marketers and fans. This year's discussions shift from radio-orientated discussions to more on social networks, and almost no retail panels, demonstrating the dramatic changes in the industry moving to the internet.

CMJ's biggest show at Madison Square Garden features headliner Phoenix from France, along with New York's funky Dirty Projectors and California's punk-pop act Wavves on October 21.

A wide array of indie rock includes music from electronica to rootsy Americana in countless clubs in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Bands that previously played the marathon event include Arcade Fire, Black Eyed Peas, Nirvana, REM, U2 and the White Stripes.

Here are recommendations from the Wall Street Journal blog Speakeasy of 12 bands - only 1 percent of the acts playing:

. The Aikiu, Paris-based dance act with Bryan Ferry-esque vocals.
. Apache Beat, guitar-driven modern rock with synths and three vocalists
. Bad Books, power-pop duo Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra's Andy Hull
. Calibro 35 from Milan, Italy plays brassy retro jazz and funk
. Freedom or Death, unsigned Toronto-based folk and electronic music act
. James Milne performing as Lawrence Arabia, Crowded House-like pop
. Linfinity, NYC-based, a cross between David Byrne and the Band yet anthematic

Plus Young the Giant with its Middle Eastern ethnic roots rock, Tristen, School of Seven Bells, The Prigs, and Oberhofer. For the full schedule: http://bit.ly/9P6w1I

This New York event is the East Coast version of SXSW's mega-conference coming up March 11-20, in Austin, Texas, which also includes an interactive media portion along with music and film.

http://www.cmj.com/musicfest/

RC

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